UK loses both games of doubleheader; swept by Vanderbilt

The fate of the series hung in the balance Saturday as UK played a doubleheader against Vanderbilt.

Having lost the first game of the series, the Cats proceeded to drop the next two in one day (16-8, 1-5 SEC) to Vanderbilt.

The first game Saturday saw a pitching duel between UK freshman Taylor Rogers and Vanderbilt starter Taylor Hill.  Rogers tossed eight innings, giving up two runs — both in the first inning — but it wasn’t enough to stop Vanderbilt from picking up a 2-1 win.

UK had multiple chances to tie the game, including in the top of the ninth.  With runners on first and third and two outs, Cory Farris struck out to end the scoring bid and the game.

In the second game of the twin bill, UK jumped out to a seven-run lead by the fourth inning.  Vanderbilt kept chipping away, scoring one run in the fourth, two in the fifth, one in the sixth, two in the eighth and the decisive three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap the 9-8 comeback win for the Commodores.

In that decisive ninth inning, Vanderbilt scored two runs to tie the game at 8-8 and then loaded the bases with two outs against UK reliever Nick Kennedy.  Kennedy walked Riley Reynolds, which forced home the winning run.